Mobile home carrying trailer

ABSTRACT

A carrier for transporting mobile and modular homes which are constructed without wheels and steel underframe, which carrier has a stationary frame with two parallel longitudinally extending hollow box beams connected together by fixed cross braces, and is mounted on a plurality of wheel axles for both lateral movement in the direction of the length of the axles and for vertical movement relative to the axles. An adjustable frame having two parallel longitudinally extending beams slightly smaller in cross-section than the box beams of the stationary frame is mounted on the stationary frame with the box beams of the adjustable frame slidable into the box beams of the stationary frame. The beams of the adjustable frame are connected by removable cross braces, which are removed as the adjustable frame is telescoped into the stationary frame. Outriggers are provided on the forward end of the adjustable frame, and the adjustable frame is slidable laterally on the outriggers when the outriggers are in the extended position and support the adjustable frame on the ground, and is movable vertically relative to the outriggers when the outriggers are in the extended position.

[ 1 May 27, 1975 MOBILE HOME CARRYING TRAILER [75] Inventor: MaynardBill Knapp, Salisbury,

[73] Assignee: Knapp Corporation, Salisbury, NC.

[22] Filed: May 16, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 470,674

[52] US. Cl. 214/512; 280/34 A; 280/4318; 280/4322; 280/4323 [51] Int.Cl B60p 1/02 [58] Field of Search 214/500, 512, 515; 280/34 R, 34 A, 46,43, 43.17, 43.18, 43.22, 43.23, 423 R [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,083,986 4/1963 Moody et al.; 280/35 X 3,231,121 l/l966Powell 214/515 3,467,408 9/1969 Regalia 280/423 R X 3,747,788 7/1973Petetin 280/34 A X 3,786,951 111974 Ruff 214/512 3,796,440 3/1974 Shave280/34 A Primary' Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-R.Schrecengost Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack 5 7]ABSTRACT A carrier for transporting mobile and modular homes which areconstructed without wheels and steel underframe, which carrier has astationary frame with two parallel longitudinally extending hollow boxbeams connected together by fixed cross braces, and is mounted on aplurality of wheel axles for both lateral movement in the direction ofthe length of the axles and for vertical movement relative to the axles.An adjustable frame having two parallel longitudinally extending beamsslightly smaller in cross-section than the box beams of the stationaryframe is mounted on the stationary frame with the box beams of theadjustable frame slidable into the box beams of the stationary frame.The beams of the adjustable frame are connected by removable crossbraces, which are removed as the adjustable frame is telescoped into thestationary frame. Outriggers are provided on the forward end of theadjustable frame, and the adjustable frame is slidable laterally on theoutriggers when the Outriggers are in the extended position and supportthe adjustable frame on the ground, and is movable vertically relativeto the outriggers when the Outriggers are in the extended position.

6 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures l SHEET ITENTEQ MY 2 7 iQTS Maw-hmm @m cmSHEET fl O1 MOBILE HOME CARRYING TRAILER INTRODUCTION This inventionrelates to a carrier, and more particularly to a carrier for carryingmobile or modular homes or parts of such homes, which homes or parts aremade without wheels and a steel underframc, from the fabrication site orretail sales lot to the permanent installation site. The carrier of thepresent invention can be extended or shortened in length for carryingthe mobile or modular homes or for being transported when empty, and canbe shifted laterally of its long dimension on the wheels on which itrolls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART Mobile homes are so-calledbecause they are usually fabricated on a relatively expensive steelunderframe with two or more sets of axles and wheels on which the homesare transported over highways. Either the complete home is built, inwhich case it is usually limited to twelve feet in width, i.e. singlewide", the maximum width of such homes usually permitted on a road, orthe mobile home is built in two halves, i.e. double wide, each of whichhalves is usually 12 feet wide and each of which has a permanentlyattached steel underframe and axles and wheels. Once the mobile ormodular home arrives at the permanent site of the home and is placed onthe foundation, the wheels and axles are of no further use and the steelunderframe is unnecessary.

In the case of modular homes, the parts are commonly transported onsimple lumber trailers, Heretofore, since conventional trailers havebeen used for these modular homes, there have been problems in unloadingthe modular homes from the trailers at the permanent installation site,where the ground is often un even, so that it is difficult to match thelevel of the bottom of the home with a foundation or to match a part ofa home on a trailer to a part already in posiition on a foundation.Heavy equipment for handling the modular homes is often not readilyavailable at the permanent installation site.

Although elimination of the steel underframes, wheels and axles inmobile and modular home construction would greatly reduce themanufacturers cost, there has heretofore been no known vehicle by whichsuch a wheeless mobile or modular home could easily be transported anddelivered to the home site and from which the vehicle the home could beplaced on a foundation.

Prior to the present invention, the methods of placing double widemobile homes or parts of modular homes together caused frequent and, inmany cases, substantial damage to the walls, floor or roof where the twohalves rubbed longitudinally against each other due to the pushing andpulling by the towing vehicle, and the manual jacking, levering, andscooting of one section relative to the other. The carrier of thepresent inven tion will, it is believed, eliminate this type of damageand the cost thereof, by making it possible to place the two halves of adouble wide mobile home or parts of a modular home together on thefoundation gently and with precision.

In the case of modular homes, the simple lumber trailers are commonlytransported back to the point of fabrication of the homes in the samecondition as they are used for hauling the modular homes. Since themodular homes or the parts thereof are often quite long, this involvestrailing rather lengthy trailers over the roads while they are empty.

OBJECTS AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of thepresent invention to provide a carrier for mobile or modular homes or apart thereof which can be extended for use in transporting variouslengths of homes from the point of fabrication or retail sales lot tothe permanent installation site, and can be collapsed or telescoped infor being trailed in the empty condition back to the retail sales lot orto the point of fabrication of the homes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a carrier inwhich the carrier body is mounted on the wheels for movement both up anddown relative to the wheel axles, as well as in the direction of thewheel axles, i.e. transversely to the length of the carrier frame to aidin perfect matching of parts to be assembled on the foundation.

The objects are achieved by a carrier having a stationary frame with twoparallel and longitudinally extending hollow box beams connectedtogether by fixed cross braces, and mounted on a plurality of wheelaxles for both lateral movement in the direction of the length of theaxles, and for vertical movement relative to the axles. The wheels onwhich the carrier rests and moves are mounted at the ends of the axles.An adjustable frame comprised of two longitudinally extending box meansslightly smaller in cross-section than the box beams of the stationaryframe is mounted on the stationary frame with the box beams of theadjustable frame slidable into the box beams of the stationary frame.The beams of the adjustable frame are connected by removable crossbraces, which are removed as the adjustable frame is telescoped into thestationary frame. Outriggers are provided on the forward end of theadjustable frame, and the adjustable frame is slidable laterally on theoutriggers when the outriggers are in the extended position and supportthe adjustable frame on the ground, and is movable vertically relativeto the outriggers when the outriggers are in the extended position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The invention will now be described inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the carrier for transporting mobile andmodular homes according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the carrier of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line33 of FIG. I;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, taken on line 44 of FIG. I;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken on lines 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale taken on line 77 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional elevation view on an enlarged scale, takenon line 8-8 of FIG I;

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. is a partial sectional plan view, on an en larged scale, taken online 1010 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a partial transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale,taken on line ll-11 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of the hydraulic system of the carrier ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The carrier for transportingmobile or modular homes constructed without steel underframes and wheelsaccording to the present invention comprises a stationary frame 20,which has two parallel and longitudinally extending hollow box beams 21generally rect angular in cross-section with the greater dimension inthe vertical direction. These longitudinal beams 21 are joined by fixedcross braces 22 secured to the sides of the longitudinal beams 21, forexample by welding, as shown in FIG. 4. In FIGS. 1 and 2, this frame hasbeen shown as broken, and in actual practice, the rear portion extendsconsiderably to the rear of the wheels and the overall length of thestationary frame is on the order of 30 feet and the overall width is onthe order of 4 feet.

Mounted on the front of the stationary frame is an adjustable frame 23which has two longitudinally extending hollow box beams 24 having anexterior crosssectional size slightly smaller than the interior crosssectional size of the hollow box beams 21 of the stationary frame. Theselongitudinal beams 24 are joined by removable cross braces 25 on theends of which are welded mounting plates 26 which are removably securedto the sides ofthe beams 24 by bolts 27, as shown in FIG. 3.

On the front of the adjustable frame 23 is a hitch frame, generallyindicated at 28, having two angle legs 29 diverging from a hitch 30, andterminating in straight parallel hitch legs 31 of a size which will fitwithin the hollow longitudinal beams 24 of the adjust able frame.Transverse holes (not shown) in the hitch frame legs 31 are aligned withcorresponding holes in the walls of the beams 24, and lock pins 32,shown on each of the inside walls of the longitudinal beams 24. areprovided, which extend into the holes in the hitch legs 31 and beams 24for securing the hitch frame 28 on the front of the adjustable frame 23.

It will be seen that the hitch frame 28 is thus removable from theadjustable frame 23 by actuating the lock pins 32 to disengage them fromthe hitch frame legs, and the hitch frame 28 can be inserted into thehollow beams 21 at the rear of the stationary frame and se cured bycorresponding lock pins 32 thereat.

As with the stationary frame 20, the adjustable frame has been broken,and in its fully extended position. it projects some feet forward of thefront end of the stationary frame. However. it can, by the removal ofallbut the frontmost removable cross braces 25 be telescoped almostcompletely into the box beams 21 ofthe stationary frame, in whichposition it projects only about 9 feet forwardly of the stationary frame20.

Mounted on the inside of the box beam 21 at the front of the stationaryframe are two pluralities of lock pins 32, one set on the inside of eachof the longitudinal beams 21. These pins extend through correspondingholes (not shown) in the longitudinal beams 21 and en gage incorresponding holes which are provided at ap propriate intervals alongthe box beams 24 of the adjustable frame. Thus, the adjustable frame canbe posi' tioned at a large plurality of positions relative to thestationary frame 20 by sliding the adjustable frame out of thestationary frame until it reaches the desired position and then settingthe lock pins 32 in the appropriate holes in the beams 24 of theadjustable frame.

Details of the lock pins are shown on an enlarged scale in FIG. 7. Thelock pin shown is one of the lock pins on the box beams 21 of thestationary frame 20. A housing 33, which is generally cylindrical inshape, is welded in the inner wall of the hollow box beam 21, and thefree end is closed by a cap 33a threaded into the end of the housing 33,the cap having an aperture therethrough. The housing further has slots34 on up posite sides thereof. Extending through the aperture in the cap33a is a pin 35 having a turn handle 36 on the free end thereof outsideof the housing 33. In the position shown, in which the pin 35 is in thelocking position, the other straight end of the pin extends throughaligned apertures in the inner wall of the hollow beam 21, the innerwall of hollow beam 24, the outer wall of hollow beam 24, and the outerwall of hollow beam 21. The end of the pin is held in an aperture in aretaining plate 39 welded to the outer wall of the hollow beam 21.

Extending through the pin 35 is a guide pin 38, the ends ofwhich slidein the slots 34in the housing 33. Pm sitioned between the guide pin andthe threaded cap 330 is a return spring 37.

It will thus be seen that when a force is exerted in the left-handdirection in the figure on the handle 36, the pin 35 is withdrawn fromthe aligned apertures in the beams, the guide pin 38 compressing thespring as it moves to the left along the slots 34 in housing 33. The boxbeam 24 is then free to move longitudinally within the box beam 21 untila different set of holes therein is aligned with the holes in the boxbeam 21. At this point, the handle can be released and the force of thecompressed spring 37 will force the pin 35 through the aligned holesuntil the end of the pin is in the hole in the reinforcing plate 39.

In order to permit the box beams 24 ofthe adjustable frame to movefreely into the box beams 21 of the stationary frame, roller meansgenerally indicated at 40 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided at the forwardend of each of the hollow longitudinal beams 21 of the stationary frame.It is. of course, possible to provide additional roller means at variouspoints along the length of the beams 21 of the stationary frame, such asjust to the rear of the pins 32, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and alsoapproximately 14 or l5 feet from the rear of the stationary frame.Details of these roller means are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Welded to the exterior side walls of the hollow box beam 21 of thestationary frame are roller mounting plates 41, the ends of whichproject above and below the top and bottom walls of the hollow box beam21. Extending between the projecting ends of the plates 41 at each ofthe ends of the plates 41 is a shaft 42 which is held in position bynuts 43 threaded on the ends thereof and lock washers 44. Fixed on eachof the shafts 42 is a bushing 45 on which is rotatably mounted at roller46 by means of bearings 47 at each end thereof. Ball bearings are shownin the present embodimcnt, but roller bearings may be substitutedtherefor. The diameters of the rollers are sufficiently large for theperipheries of the rollers to extend through roller apertures 48 in thetop wall and the bottom wall of the beam 21 of the stationary frame forengagement with the top wall and the bottom wall of the beam 24 of theadjustable frame. Thus, the longitudinal beams 24 of the adjustableframe are held in rolling engagement within the hollow beams 21 of thestationary frame between the opposed pairs of rollers 46 so that thebeams 24 can be rolled easily into the beams 21.

The carrier of the present invention has a plurality of pairs of wheels52, there being three pairs in the embodiment shown. These are mountedin a conventional way on the ends of axles 51, which are here shown asbeing square in cross-section. The stationary frame is mounted on theaxles on a wheel chassis, generally indicated at 50. As shown in detailin FIGS. 8-10, the wheel chassis 50 comprises a plurality of lateralsleeves 53 which are slidably mounted on the square axles 51. Thesesleeves 53 are joined by longitudinally extending braces 55 and 55a,there being a pair of such braces on each side of the chassissubstantially directly under the longitudinally extending box frames 21.Triangular corner plates 76 between the braces 55 and sleeves 53 stiffenthe chassis 50. Vertically mounted on each sleeve 53 is an innervertical sleeve 56, and on the vertical sleeve 56 is slidably mounted anouter vertical sleeve 57. To the upper end of the outer vertical sleeve57 is secured a top plate 58, the one end of which is secured to theinner wall of the adjacent longitudinally extending box beam 21 of thestationary frame. Within the inner vertical sleeve 56 is a frame raisinghydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism 60 having one end secured on thelateral sleeve 53 and the other end, preferably the piston rod end,secured to the top plate 58. Mounted on the outer end of each sleeve 53is a vertical brace 61 which is comprised of a vertical guide plate 62and a brace place 63, substantially perpendicular thereto. The innersurface of the vertical guide plate 62 is in slidable contact with theouter wall of the hollow box beam 21.

Conventional leaf spring means are provided for the front and rearaxles. Leaf springs 64 have the free ends mounted in spring shackles 65secured to the bottom wall of the box beam 21 and the center of the leafsprings 64 is secured to the top of the sleeve 53 on the end axles byU-bolts 66. A rubber bumper 67 is also attached to the top surface ofthe springs.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 10, there is secured to the centralportions of each of the axles a frame 70 having annular frame portions70a between each pair of adjacent axles, as shown in FIG. 1. Mounted ineach annular frame portion is a pair of hydraulic pistoncylindermechanisms.

In FIG. 10, the right-hand hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism 71 is aleft lateral shift hydraulic pistoncylinder mechanism and has the pistonrod 72 thereof extending outwardly and bolted to the longitudinal sideplate 55 between adjacent lateral sleeves 53. The other hydraulicpiston-cylinder mechanism, and the piston rod 74 thereof, shown in FIG.1, extending to the longitudinal side plate 55 on the other side of thewheel chassis 50. The ends of frame 70 are bolted to the end axles 51 bybolts 75, and the intermediate portion of the frame 70 is likewisebolted to the intermediate axle 51 by similar bolts 75.

It will be seen that with this construction, by the actuation of theframe raising hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanisms 60, the stationaryframe 20 can be raised and lowered by the exertion of the force on thetop plates 58, the beams 21 being guided in vertical movement by theouter vertical sleeve 57 sliding on the inner vertical sleeve 56, andthe outer wall of the box beam 21 sliding on the vertical guide plate62. Likewise, the entire stationary frame can be shifted to the left orthe right, relative to its length, along the axles 51 by actuat ing thelateral shift hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanisms 71 and 73. To shiftthe stationary frame 20 to the left (downwardly in FIG. 1 and in FIG.10) the hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanisms 71 are actuated to extendthe piston rods 72 while the hydraulic pistoncylinder mechanisms 73 areactuated to draw the piston rods 74 in. This exerts a force on the wheelchassis 50 which slides it along the axles 51 on the sleeves 53, therebycarrying with the sleeves 53 the entire stationary frame 20.

The outriggers, one of which is shown in detail in FIG. 11, are normallycarried within the outrigger housing which is a hollow sleeve extendingtransversely of the adjustable frame 23 near the front thereof. Eachoutrigger has an outrigger hinge member 81 slidable within the housing80 and has a hinge pin 82 to which is hinged the outrigger stand 83having on the bottom thereof the outrigger foot plate 84 threaded intothe bottom ofthe outrigger stand 83. The outrigger hinge 81 is mountedon the end of a piston rod 85 of one of the pair of oppositely-orientedoutrigger extending hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanisms 86, which arewithin the housing 80 near the center thereof. With the piston rod 85extended, the outrigger hinge is at the end of the housing 80, so thatthe outrigger stand can extend downwardly from the hinge 81 and thefootplate 84 can rest on the ground to support the forward end of theframe 23. It will be understood that a like outrigger is provided on theother end of the housing 83. When the piston rods 85 are withdrawn intothe pistoncylinder mechanisms 86, the hinge pins are drawn into thehousing, and the outrigger stands are thereby swung upwardly around thepins 82 and the outrigger stands are drawn into the housing 80, therebyleaving exposed only the footplates 84.

When the outrigger is in the position as shown in FIG. 11 with theoutrigger stands at both ends of the housing 80 in position, thefootplates 84 resting on the ground and the forward end of theadjustable frame 23 being supported thereon, the frame 23 can also beadjusted vertically relative to the outrigger housing 80 and can beadjusted laterally along the outrigger housing 80.

Laterally adjustable frame sleeves 87 are slidably mounted on theoutrigger housing 80, and an inner ver' tical sleeve 88 is mounted oneach lateral sleeve 87, and slidable on the outside of each innervertical sleeve 88 is an outer vertical sleeve 89. A top plate 90 issecured to the top of each outer vertical sleeve 89, and the ends of thetop plates 90 are secured to the inner walls of the hollow box beams 24of the adjustable frame. A hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism 99 ismounted within each inner vertical sleeve 88. Also mounted on eachlateral sleeve at the outer end thereof is a vertical brace 91 comprisedof a vertical guide plate 92 against which the outer wall of the hollowbox beam 24 thereabove slides, and a brace plate 93 secured to thevertical guide plate 92.

As seen in FIG. 1, a lateral shift mounting frame 94 is secured to thecenter of the outrigger housing 80 between the longitudinally extendinghollow box frames 24 and mounted on the frame 94 are two hydraulicpiston-cylinder mechanisms, a left lateral shift hydraulicpiston-cylinder mechanism 95 and a right lateral shift hydraulicpiston-cylinder mechanism 96. The piston rod 95a of the hydraulicpiston-cylinder mechanism 95 is secured by means of a connecting plate97 to the lat eral slide 87 on the left side of the adjustable frame 23and the piston rod 96a of the hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism 96 issecured to the lateral slide 87 on the right side of the adjustableframe 23 by a connecting plate 98.

lt will be seen that by the appropriate operation of the pistoncylindcrmechanisms 99, the hollow frame members 24. and thus the adjustableframe 23, can be raised and lowered relative to the outrigger housing80, and by appropriate operation of the hydraulic pistoncylindcrmechanisms 95 and 96, the adjustable frame 23 can be shifted to the leftand to the right relative to the outrigger housing 80.

As seen in FlG. 12, the various piston-cylinder mechanisms are connectedin a more or less conventional hydraulic system. The raising andlowering pistoncylinder mechanisms 60 and the raising and loweringpistoncylinder mechanisms 99 are connected in parallel to a four-wayvalve 100 which in turn is connected by a hydraulic fluid supply line101 to a pump 102 through a relief valve 103 and a gauge 104, the pump102 drawing hydraulic fluid from reservoir 105. A hydraulic return line106 is also connected between the four-way valve and the reservoir 105.

Likewise the right and left shifting hydraulic pistoncylinder mechanisms71 and 72 and 9S and 96 are connected in parallel to a four-way valve107, and through the four-way valve to the pump 102 and reservoir 105.Finally, the outrigger hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanisms areconnected in parallel to the four-way valve 108 and through the four'wayvalve 108 to the pump 102 and the reservoir 105.

when the four-way valve 100 is actuated for move merit in the updirection, hydraulic fluid is supplied to the hydraulic piston-cylindermechanisms 60 and 99 to raise the stationary frame and the adjustableframe 23 at the same rate, and when the valve 100 is actuated formovement in the down direction, the frames are lowered. When the fourway valve 107 is actuated for movement in the right direction. thehydraulic pistoncylincler mechanisms 73 and 96 are actuated to force thewheel chassis S0 and outrigger slides 87 in the right direction and themechanisms 7] and 95 are actuated to draw the wheel chassis 50 and theoutrigger slides in the right direction When the four-way valve 107 isac tuated for movement in the left direction, the respective hydraulicpiston-cylinder mechanisms are actuated in the opposite directions. Whenthe four-way valve 108 is actuated in the out direction, the hydraulicpis' ton cylinder mechanisms 86 are actuated to move the Outriggers tothe outer positions as shown in FIGS. 1. 2 and Il, while when thefour-way valve is actuated in the direction. the hydraulicpistoncylindcr mechanisms 86 are actuated to draw the outriggers intothe outrigger housing 80.

There has thus been provided a carrier in which the frame is adjustablenot only in length, the adjustable frame being telescopable into thestationary frame, but in which the frame can be adjusted both verticallyrelative to the wheels and an outrigger supporting the front of theframe and laterally of the frame relative to the wheels and theoutrigger. Thus. when a mobile or mod ular home reaches a permanentinstallation site, the carrier can be moved into position as close tothe foundation as is convenient. and then the frame of the carrier canbe raised or lowered and shifted laterally back or forth until the frameis lined up exactly level with the foundation lhereupon the mobile ormodular home can be placed gently and directly onto the foundation.Where the second half of a double-wide mobile or modular home is beingtransported to be attached to the first half already located at thepermanent installation site. the carrier can again be moved intoposition close to the already positioned part of the home and again theframe can be raised or lowered and shifted laterally with precisionuntil the part of the home on the carrier is in position to be attachedto the part already on the foundation.

After the mobile or modular home or part thereof has been installed atthe permanent site, the carrier of the present invention can beshortened by telescoping the adjustable frame into the stationary frameso that a relatively short carrier is trailed back to the assembly pointor retail sales lot.

While specific structures have been shown and described for the variouselements of the carrier of the present invention, it wili be clear tothose skilled in the art that other equivalent structures can besubstituted therefor. For example, it is not necessary to use box beamsfor the longitudinal beams of the adjustable frame, although these arepreferred. Other locking means could be used for the locking pins 32,for examplc a simple pin attached to the beam by a chain so that itwould not be lost. Other equivalent actuating systems, such as apneumatic system or a combined pneumatic and hydraulic system could besubstituted for the hydraulic system shown. A system of reversibleelectric motors could be used.

lt is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understoodfrom the foregoing description, and it is apparent that various changesmay be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificingits material advantages, the form hereit1 before described andillustrated in the drawings being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A carrier for transporting a single-wide or half of a double-widemobile home or modular home constructed without wheels and steelunderframe, comprising a stationary frame having a pair of parallelhollow box beams and fixed cross braces between them secur ing them toeach other, an adjustable frame comprising a pair of parallel beamsslidable telescopically in the stationary box beams of the stationaryframe and ha ing removable cross brace between them securing them toeach other, lock means locking the frames to each other in any of aplurality of positions, a plurality of pairs of wheels and an axleextending between a pair of wheels, :1 wheel chassis slidably mounted ona axles for movement in the direction of the length of said axles, saidstationary frame being mounted on said wheel chassis for verticalmovement relative to ai wheel chassis and extending transversely to thedirection of length of said axles. an outrigger housing adjacent the endof the adjustable frame remote from stationary frame extendingsubstantially parallel wi said axles and having outrigger support meansdepending therefrom for contact with the ground beneath the carrier,outrigger slide means slidably mounted on said outrigger housing, theadjustable frame being mounted on said outrigger slide means forvertical movement relative to said outrigger slide means and extendingtransversely to the direction of length of said outrigger housing,raising and lowering means between the wheel chassis and the stationaryframe and between the outrigger housing and the adjustable frame forraising and lowering the frames together, and lateral shifting meansbetween said axles and said wheel chassis and between said outriggerhousing and said outrigger slide means for shifting the wheel chassisand the outrigger slide means together in one or the other directiontransversely of the length of the frames, whereby the frames can beshifted up and down relative to the wheels and the outrigger housing andcan be shifted laterally back and forth relative to the wheels and theoutrigger housing for adjusting the position of the mobile or modularhome or a part of it at the installation site.

2. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 in which said raising and loweringmeans and said lateral shifting means are both hydraulic piston-cylindermeans.

3. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 in which said wheel chassis comprisesa plurality of lateral sleeves beneath the box beams on each side of thestationary frame, and frame members connecting the lateral sleeves onone side of the stationary frame to each other, and said lateralshifting means comprises a lateral shift cylinder mounting frame securedto said axles and hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanisms mounted on saidmounting frame and having piston rods extending therefrom to said framemembers 4. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 in which said outriggerhousing has a mounting frame thereon, said outrigger slide meanscomprise a pair of outrigger slides one beneath each side frame, andsaid lateral shifting means comprises hydraulic piston-cylindermechanisms mounted between said mounting frame and the respectiveoutrigger slides.

5. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 in which said wheel chassis comprisesa plurality of lateral sleeves beneath the box beams on each side of thestationary frame, and frame members connecting the lateral sleeves onone side of the stationary frame, a vertical guide plate extendingupwardly from each sleeve and engaging the outside surface of the boxbeam thereabove, and pairs of vertical telescoping sleeves, one verticalsleeve of a pair on each lateral sleeve and the other of the pair on thebox beam of the stationary frame thereabove, said guide plates and pairsof vertical sleeves guiding said stationary frame in its verticalmovement on said wheel chassis.

6. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 in which said outrigger slidecomprises two slide elements, one beneath each parallel beam of saidadjustable frame, and a vertical guide plate extending upwardly fromeach slide element and engaging the outside surface of the beamthereabove, and a pair of vertical telescoping sleeves, one verticalsleeve of a pair on each slide element and the other of the pair on thebeam of the adjustable sleeve thereabove, said guide plates and pairs ofvertical sleeves guiding said adjustable frame in its vertical movementon said outrigger housing.

1. A carriEr for transporting a single-wide or half of a doublewidemobile home or modular home constructed without wheels and steelunderframe, comprising a stationary frame having a pair of parallelhollow box beams and fixed cross braces between them securing them toeach other, an adjustable frame comprising a pair of parallel beamsslidable telescopically in the stationary box beams of the stationaryframe and having removable cross brace between them securing them toeach other, lock means locking the frames to each other in any of aplurality of positions, a plurality of pairs of wheels and an axleextending between each pair of wheels, a wheel chassis slidably mountedon said axles for movement in the direction of the length of said axles,said stationary frame being mounted on said wheel chassis for verticalmovement relative to said wheel chassis and extending transversely tothe direction of length of said axles, an outrigger housing adjacent theend of the adjustable frame remote from the stationary frame extendingsubstantially parallel with said axles and having outrigger supportmeans depending therefrom for contact with the ground beneath thecarrier, outrigger slide means slidably mounted on said outriggerhousing, the adjustable frame being mounted on said outrigger slidemeans for vertical movement relative to said outrigger slide means andextending transversely to the direction of length of said outriggerhousing, raising and lowering means between the wheel chassis and thestationary frame and between the outrigger housing and the adjustableframe for raising and lowering the frames together, and lateral shiftingmeans between said axles and said wheel chassis and between saidoutrigger housing and said outrigger slide means for shifting the wheelchassis and the outrigger slide means together in one or the otherdirection transversely of the length of the frames, whereby the framescan be shifted up and down relative to the wheels and the outriggerhousing and can be shifted laterally back and forth relative to thewheels and the outrigger housing for adjusting the position of themobile or modular home or a part of it at the installation site.
 2. Acarrier as claimed in claim 1 in which said raising and lowering meansand said lateral shifting means are both hydraulic piston-cylindermeans.
 3. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 in which said wheel chassiscomprises a plurality of lateral sleeves beneath the box beams on eachside of the stationary frame, and frame members connecting the lateralsleeves on one side of the stationary frame to each other, and saidlateral shifting means comprises a lateral shift cylinder mounting framesecured to said axles and hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanisms mountedon said mounting frame and having piston rods extending therefrom tosaid frame members.
 4. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 in which saidoutrigger housing has a mounting frame thereon, said outrigger slidemeans comprise a pair of outrigger slides one beneath each side frame,and said lateral shifting means comprises hydraulic piston-cylindermechanisms mounted between said mounting frame and the respectiveoutrigger slides.
 5. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 in which said wheelchassis comprises a plurality of lateral sleeves beneath the box beamson each side of the stationary frame, and frame members connecting thelateral sleeves on one side of the stationary frame, a vertical guideplate extending upwardly from each sleeve and engaging the outsidesurface of the box beam thereabove, and pairs of vertical telescopingsleeves, one vertical sleeve of a pair on each lateral sleeve and theother of the pair on the box beam of the stationary frame thereabove,said guide plates and pairs of vertical sleeves guiding said stationaryframe in its vertical movement on said wheel chassis.
 6. A carrier asclaimed in claim 1 in which said outrigger slide comprises two slideelements, one beneath each parallel beam of said adjustable frame, and avertical guide platE extending upwardly from each slide element andengaging the outside surface of the beam thereabove, and a pair ofvertical telescoping sleeves, one vertical sleeve of a pair on eachslide element and the other of the pair on the beam of the adjustablesleeve thereabove, said guide plates and pairs of vertical sleevesguiding said adjustable frame in its vertical movement on said outriggerhousing.